Altria Group

Tobacco companies have introduced almost no new cigarettes or smokeless tobacco products in the U.S. in more than 18 months because the FDA has prevented them from doing so -- an unprecedented pause for an industry that historically has introduced dozens of new products annually.

Bed Bath & Beyond peeled back the curtain on Wednesday, but then the shower rod fell down. The home goods retailer posted disappointing quarterly results for its fiscal second quarter, despite net sales that climbed by a better than expected 12%.

People enraged by the status quo are occupying America's public spaces. Most agree that companies wield too much influence in government -- and that we need to change that. The way to do so is to limit corporate donations to politicians -- it's not even their money to give.

Americans may soon get the opportunity to invest more conscientiously in their workplace retirement accounts: A new survey shows that more and more employers are adding socially responsible investment choices to their plans, screening companies based on social and environmental impact.

You are mere paragraphs away from mastering one of life's most important equations. This article kicks off a short series in which we'll review the major computations behind the numbers you see at AOL DailyFinance. You're about to learn Mathanese -- aka the numbers behind investing's big equations.

For decades, the government has been warning consumers about the dangers of tobacco. That campaign will soon undergo a serious escalation, with the introduction of large, graphic antismoking messages on cigarette packs. The industry is fighting back, and may have the constitution on its side. But will it ultimately matter?

Of all the ways a company might become more valuable, this has got to be the most superficial: a simple change of name. And yet a study of corporate name changes shows that it works. From 1-800 Flowers.com to Philip Morris-Altria Group, here are some of the most noteworthy nominal transformations.

VF Corp., whose brands include Wrangler, Nautica and The North Face, said Monday it will buy boot and clothing maker Timberland Co. for more than $2.2 billion. With the addition of Timberland, VF's outdoor and action sports business, will make up 50% of the company's total revenue.

The S&P 500 is one of the most followed stock market index in the world. Mutual fund managers benchmark their returns against it, yet somehow the vast majority underperform the index every year. Many dividend investors choose to ignore the index, and instead focus on its components.

While painful (for most folks) to watch, the actor's explosion has created a bonanza for the tabloid mill. But on a broader level, Sheen has also offers a potential shot in the arm for companies across the spectrum, from media to pharmaceuticals.

In business jargon, it seems like round has come back around. We're hearing a resurgence of the defense-minded phrase "circling the wagons," as well as the extremely slippery phrase "circle back," which changes its meaning completely depending on who is saying it.

On Monday, the Supreme Court agreed to decide whether all the female employees who claim Walmart discriminated against them can sue the world's largest retailer as a class, and if they can, whether they can sue for back pay or only for judicial orders to force it to change its behavior.

The smartest money on Wall Street may be at the top hedge funds, whose investment managers are paid billions a year to beat the market. Those gurus only take big money clients, but you can follow their lead: DailyFinance has the 10 best stock picks of the 10 highest-paid hedge fund managers.

As the mid-term election slowly draw nearer, we're taking a look at the companies whose deep pockets help keep America's political campaigns rolling along. With the help of the nonpartisan folks at the Center for Responsive Politics, we've combined a list of the top ten corporate campaign contributors, offering a look at the candidates they support, the issues that concern them, and their lobbying habits.

Monday's Supreme Court ruling in favor of the tobacco industry at the expense of the Justice Department just left a bunch of tobacco companies off the hook to the tune of a few hundred billion dollars -- but not all tobacco stocks are created equal.

The Supreme Court will not weigh in on seven tobacco industry appeals, which means that all sides will come out losers to a degree. But by passing on the cases, the justices did the most good for the tobacco industry, which is safe from the threat of having to pay the government $280 billion.

Is the modern-day Greek tragedy that's roiling the markets driving you nuts and sending you racing for a defensive strategy? Peter Newell, managing director at Swiss-based Vontobel Asset Management, has a stock-picking approach that avoids such global calamities.

Vudu. JooJoo. Boorah. It almost seems as if companies are just randomly picking names for their latest product or the company, out of a hat. But consumers would be surprised at how much actual thought (and money) goes into the process of dubbing a tobacco maker Altria or an instant coffee Via.

A new nationwide poll finds that two-thirds of U.S. voters support a $1 increase in tobacco taxes per pack. The tax could raise more than $9.1 billion in new annual revenue for states, says the report released by a coalition of public health organizations claims.

Smoking is a noxious habit but that doesn't mean investors should turn up their noses at Altria Group. The leading U.S. tobacco maker is gaining market share, its stock looks cheap and -- perhaps best of all -- the dividend is both rich and reliable.